The Little Hero
by the unsung songstress
Summary: "And the little hero continues on the perilous journey of life." An assortment of vignettes. Latest: Because heaven knows what would happen if he couldn't handle it.
1. Mask

_Mask_

One by one, they go up in flames.

His hopes, his dreams, his inventions; all dispersed in the traces of ash flowing in the wind.

And this does not bother him.

At least, _they_ don't think it does.

But they don't see a lot of things. They don't see the fleeting grimace on his face when his contraptions explode. They haven't spotted his jabs of self-loathing when the enemy has won. They haven't glimpsed the cracks in his mask.

They do not know anything.

* * *

><p>He tries <em>so<em> _hard_ to conceal these **failures**_weaknesses_flaws that even his own team doesn't see them.

He is successful.

But success always comes with a price.

* * *

><p>Sometimes, in the dead of the night, he lets his mask slip the tiniest bit, letting it all out.<p>

But during the day, when the spotlight of scrutiny is on him, the little hero puts on his mask and continues on the harsh road of life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just to make it clear: this is an assortment of vignettes, usually about heroes and their weaknesses/turmoil/whatever fodder I can use to make it angsty. **

**Requests of heroes are taken :) (Although, I already have Falcon, Reptil and Songbird on the list.)**


	2. Run

_Run_

_Run. _The thought echoes in his head like a constant banging of a drum.

He does what his instincts tell him, never pausing for breath. Because there's that miniscule sliver of a chance that he could still escape this tangled web of treacherous lies.

He quickens his pace just in case.

* * *

><p>He runs towards it – <em>all<em> _of it_ – to save his sister. _Just_ to save her, he tells resolutely himself.

He didn't really like ice-skating that much, anyway.

* * *

><p>Now that he thinks about it, he never knew if he was running <em>toward<em> or _away._

Not that that makes any difference, the little hero realizes as he treks up the tumultuous path of life.

He's doomed either way.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: On the request list: Falcon, Reptil, Songbird/Screaming Mimi, Thor and Loki.**


	3. Flight

_Flight_

Free.

He is free.

Soaring, tumbling, and cart wheeling… he is free to do whatever he wished.

When he is in the skies, he is rid of any fears, limitations and nuisances. Every earthly tie seems to vanish; he is without a care in the world, flying simply for the purpose of adrenaline and ecstasy.

Of course, he doesn't _hate_ the ground; he simply prefers to be above it. Like the aftershocks of a party, being on the ground makes him long to be in the skies again; it is where he feels alive, he where feels he truly belonged.

Or so he thinks.

* * *

><p>Once upon a time, there was a boy named Icarus. Icarus was simply a boy who wished to fly and chanced upon a miracle.<p>

And his wish _was_ granted, but at a horrible price.

Ever too eager, Icarus flew to close to the sun, melting the wax holding his man-made wings together. Wide-eyed with shock and confusion, the poor boy spiraled downwards to his inevitable death.

Falcon thinks that he has a lot of similarities to Icarus; they both had metal wings crafted for them, they both longed to be in the skies and they both were pretty confident at the prospect of flying.

They were also blind to the possibility of falling.

* * *

><p>Fear tightens its icy clutches on him as he slowly sinks to the ground. The words, <em>it's<em> _over, _form on the tip of this tongue when desperation suddenly kicks in, jump-starting his adrenaline.

Flapping his wings, Falcon morbidly wonders what would happen if he were to fall to his death, right here, right now.

He decides that it wouldn't be pretty.

Dodging the turbulent winds fate sends his way, the little hero soars in the skies, hoping that he would have the strength withstand the trials and tribulations to come.

Because heaven knows what would happen if he didn't.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: On the request list: Reptil, Songbird/Screaming Mimi and brotherly Thor/Loki.**


End file.
